Japel - Mom and me knits: 20 pretty projects for moms and daughters

For their undying support through the production of this book, I would like to thank my family. Sorry about all of the late nights, guys!

I also thank the featured companies for generously supplying the yarns for these projects, and I doubly thank Knit Picks for also supplying needles and accessories.

My heartfelt thanks to Jodi Warshaw for approaching me to do this book at the perfect time in my life, when I have the perfect inspiration, and I extend my gratitude to my agent, Judy Heiblum, for making sure that it all came together.

This book is dedicated to Mazie and Olive Japel, who are my inspiration.

I love designing patterns. Im best known for creating seamless garments that fit and flatter womens figures. Ive written two books on the subject, and Ive even appeared on TVs Knitty Gritty to discuss my design style. When my daughters were born, I was faced with a new knitting challenge: create childrens garments that appeal to both parents and childrenand feel and fit great. Im not a fluffy-pink person, and my daughters (so far) arent fluffy-pink people, either. This poses a bit of a problem when Im trying to find clothes for them: if you walk into the childrens clothing section at any department store, its clear that Girls Wear Pink. Its even hard to find knitting patterns for girls that arent saccharine-sweet confections. Not long after my first daughter was born, I started publishing knitting patterns for children. I like to create cute garments, but ones that arent traditionally girly. Im aiming to make clothes that arent all pink, dont all have lace or ruffles, and can be worn all the time, not just for dressy occasions. For each pattern that Ive designed for kids, Ive received hundreds of e-mail messages requesting the pattern for adults!

In this book, I combine my love of womens designs and my desire to create cute, sophisticated-yet-casual clothing for girls by offering a collection of mother-and-daughter knits. In the following pages, youll find one-piece garments, knit from the top down, for little girls and their moms (or aunts, grandmas, or family friends). I didnt want the knits to be too matchy-matchy. Instead, I created patterns where the adult pattern is more sophisticated and the childs pattern is a playful, youthful version of it. Some simply coordinate due to shared stitch patterns or use of the same yarn. Other sets started with the infant sweater, with the adult sweater following as a companion piece. Still others started with the adult sweater and were sized down.

While all of the garments are constructed from the top down on circular needles, each presents the knitter with an opportunity to do something a little bit differentand maybe even learn something new. In making the Puebla Tops, for example, youll do a little bit of duplicate stitch and surface embroidery. For the Library Cardigans, youll knit on little I-cord button loops. The Aran Coats are shaped using increases inside the cabled sections. I hope that youll enjoy learning how to create these little details and that you will find ways to use them again in your knitting.

Ive included patterns sized for infants (or child) through adult, most up to a 50-in/127-cm or larger bust measurement. All of the sweaters fit well and are designed with care for real women and the little girls they love.